Lottie sighs as Riley sits next to her. She's been feeling like absolute shit since her father died. She's been practically bedridden. The pain in her back is almost unbearable.

She groans as she sits up. "Whatcha need?" He asks, his hand on her back.

"Gotta pee." She grumbles back, slowly making her way to the bathroom.

When she goes to wipe, her heart stops.

Blood.

A lot of blood.

"Shit." She panics, pulling her underwear back up. "Fuck." It's not her period; she rarely gets them anymore with the birth control that she's on; fucking waste of fucking money.

She quickly pulls on the flannel that's draped over the top of the door. "What's goin' on?" Riley asks, sitting up.

"I gotta-" She freezes. She doesn't know what to say. "I'm bleedin' pretty bad."

"Uh..." Riley stands. "I'll drive you." He says, taking her keys from her sweaty hand. "C'mon."

+++

Riley's sitting in a chair in the waiting room, anxiously fiddling his thumbs. He wanted to give her privacy for her lady procedure.

Right now, she just got hit with some very heartbreaking news.

Miscarriage.

She's devastated but also relived. She has always thought she'd be in her late twenties when she has kids.

"Is it my fault?" She whispers, wiping her eyes with a tissue the nurse had handed her. "Was- was it somethin' I did?"

"No, baby." She says, giving her hand a squeeze. "Could've been from stress, could've been a cervix problem, medication, an infection..." She rattles off, pulling her gloves off. "It was really outta your control."

She nods. "Thanks for bein' so kind."

"Of course, baby." She smiles comfortingly back. "Just take it easy for a couple days."

Lottie pulls her pajama shorts up and steps into her slippers. She makes her way back to the waiting room.

"Hey." Riley says, standing with her flannel in his hand. "How'd it go? You okay?"

"I wanna go home."

"Yeah, let's go home then." He wraps his arm around her shoulders but she pulls away, looking down.

She feels disgusted with herself.

When they get home, Riley gets Lottie back into bed. He strokes her hair back behind her ear then kisses her cheek. "Get some rest, Lot."

"Riley..." She starts when he starts closing the door. He stops, watching her sit up. "I had a miscarriage."

His face drops. "You were pregnant?"

"Not anymore." She looks down at her hands with tearful eyes. "Lost it."

"Lottie-"

"I'm sorry, Riley."

"Don't- Don't be sorry." He runs a hand through his curls and sighs heavily. He was almost a dad, a dad with the girl of his dreams carrying his child. Riley sighs again and tears slip down her cheeks. "It was my kid right?"

She scoffs. "Yeah." Riley is the only guy she's been with in almost a year.

Riley lets out a shaky breath and swallows hard, trying to stop his own tears. "Shit."

"I'm sorry, Ri." He leans over and kisses the top of her head hastily. "I'm so sorry."

"Stop." He whispers, tucking hair behind her ear. "Get some rest, baby. It's been a rough day." She nods and slides herself under the sheets, her heart breaking as she watches the door close with her boyfriend on the other side.

+++

Riley's been quiet, mourning the loss of his unborn child. He had no idea he wanted kids until the idea was put into his head.

He knows Lottie would be a kick ass mother.

In the back of his mind, though, he's now worried about his relationship with her. He's worried that because of the miscarriage, Lottie is going to break up with him. Not only would he lose his girlfriend, but also his rock, his best fucking friend.

Lottie's been cooped up in her old bedroom. She talked Riley into moving a couch into the room and turning it into a souped up music studio. She's been trying to write songs but hasn't been able to get her mind around it.

She hasn't gotten practically any sleep and it shows.

Riley's more worried about her than anything else.

He knocks on the door softly. There's no answer so he pokes his head in. "Lot." He whispers. "You hungry?"

"No."

He nods to himself as he heads to the kitchen to make her a simple meal; a sandwich and a handful of chips. He knocks on the door again then lets himself in.

His eyes land on Lottie curled up in a tight ball on the far end of the couch, her eyes focused on the blank sheet of notebook paper in front of her. He sighs as he sits across from her on the desk chair, setting the plate on the end table.

He can't help the smile on his face as he watches her take a small bite of the sandwich. "Thanks." She mumbles.

"Whatcha workin' on?"

She points at the overflowing trash can. "Bullshit." He rolls over to it and picks up a balled up sheet of paper. "I hate everythin' I've written."

"This is good." He says. "This one's got potential." She rolls her eyes. "Seriously." He smooths it out then sets it on the desk behind him.

She eats about half then sets the rest of the sandwich back on the plate. "Thanks." She repeats, pulling the Roll Tide blanket back up to her shoulders.

"Can I ask you somethin'?"

"What's up?"

"I know you've said you don't want to get married until you're ready- really ready." He starts, adjusting the bill of his ball cap. "But the plans I have for my life include us gettin' married."

She rolls her lips into her mouth. "I'm gonna marry you one day." She says.

"Really? You wanna?"

"Yeah. I thought Hoss was the one but that was just stupid teenage love. I honestly didn't see Morgan settlin' down anytime soon but what me and you got is different. It's special. It's that feelin' in your stomach that just feels... safe. It's love. I love you, Riley. I've never known love like this before- true love."

Riley grins. "Who knows? Maybe one day we'll actually be ready for kids. Ready to get married. Why rush, you know?"

Lottie smiles. "You're special, Ri."

"I know." He winks back. "You feel better?"

"Yeah." She sits up. "Can you help me with some songs?"

+++

Lottie and Riley are in the studio for the first time in a long time. She's nervous, pacing around the room with her thumbnail in between her teeth. "Are you sure this song is good? I- I'm so rusty-"

"Lot, take a deep breath." Riley says, his hands on her shoulders. "This song is good, okay? And if you don't like it, we can always revise it."

"Okay." She nods, taking a deep breath before heading to the booth. "Ready?" The guy at the soundboard pressed a few buttons and the backing track of her song fills her ears.

"Just "I love you", it just won't do. I'm gonna need a needle and a groove. I need more than words to make this work and tell the whole loving you truth..."

Riley smiles as he watches her away while she sings. He loves being apart of this, with Lottie as she makes her music.

"I'm gonna need a symphony, an unchained melody. Oh, can't you see what you mean to me, baby?"

He can picture himself dancing with Lottie in the kitchen, the bars downtown. She loves dancing with him.

"Let's stay together, slow dance forever and ever, amen. Stand by me darling, you keep me free falling, when you say nothing at all. Girl, put your records on. Let me love you like an old love song..."

Lottie grins as she hangs her headphones up. She bounces out the door and into Riley's arms. "You sounded great, baby." He grins, kissing her cheek.

She smiles, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "Ready?"

"Just- You're just recorded the one song?"

"I had to park in a garage and they charge by the hour. We've already been here for three. It's probably twenty seven dollars." She gives the guy at the soundboard a friendly shoulder squeeze before grabbing Riley's hand.

The two make their way out the door and start down the sidewalk.

"Lottie?" She turns and sees Michael walking toward them. "Hey!" He grins, giving her a friendly hug. "We've been missin' you, girl."

"Been missin y'all too." She smiles. "This is Riley. Riley, Michael."

"Hey man. Hey listen, we're havin' a party this weekend if y'all wanna come. It's at my house."

Lottie glances up at Riley. "We might stop by." He says, his arm around Lottie's shoulders protectively.

"Okay, cool. I'll text you the, uh, details. Nice to see you again, Lottie. Nice to meet you, Riley." He nods then starts back down the street to his truck.

"You friends with him?" He asks, watching him climb into his King Ranch.

"Yeah from Big Loud. Nicest guy." She swings their conjoined hands as they head into the parking garage. "You wanna go to that party?"

"Yeah. I do."

+++

"Shots!"

Lottie looks up from the girl she's conversing with in time to see Michael holding up two bottles of whiskey. She excuses herself from the nameless girl and wades her way to the kitchen.

"Alright Lottie!" He laughs, pouring several shots for everyone wanting one. They cheers then knock them back.

"Woo!" She looks around the room for her boyfriend but he's no where to be found. Lottie picks up another beer then starts through the crowd, laughing as she bumps into people.

She trips over someone's foot and stumbles, two arms catch her. Miraculously, she didn't spill a single drop of her beer. "Sorry!" She giggles, starting to feel that buzz.

"No problem, darlin." A familiar voice says.

Lottie looks up and her smile fades slightly. "Hey Morgan."

+++